From: Aldric Giacomoni <aldric@...>
Date: 2009-12-30T02:53:00+09:00
Subject: Re: Creating my own method for sorting an array

Marnen Laibow-Koser wrote:

> Anyway, if he's really a new programmer, he shouldn't be writing sort 
> algorithms.

While I may agree with that in theory, I remember that my first 
programming course included sorting algorithms - useful, because they 
teach you to manipulate data in your head and in your code.

> 
> I didn't say a word about design patterns.  All I recommended was tests. 
> These actually make it less confusing, since you can more clearly see 
> what's going on.
> 
> And we'd all be better programmers if we thought about good practice as 
> an integral part of the craft, not something bolted on later.

That is definitely true; maybe we should write a new "programming for 
beginners" book.. ;-)
>> You know
>> what else no one ever used in the real world? That slot machine program 
>> I
>> first wrote. All those "hello world" programs I wrote. All the 
>> algorithms I
>> re-implemented, trying to learn how they worked. Does the fact that no 
>> one
>> will ever use them make them worthless? Or maybe the experience I gained
>> from writing all that worthless code made me a better programmer.
> 
> I'm sure it did.  I know I've done similar exercises.  But I did want 
> the OP to realize that he shouldn't expect to ever do this in a real 
> Ruby program.

Which, by now, if he hasn't been scared away from Ruby, he knows.. :D
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.